I thank God that the Bible acknowledges the challenges that women of God face with being valued as women of God. Below are just a couple of scriptures in the Bible referencing a woman’s worth.
Who can find a virtuous woman? Her price is far above rubies. – Proverbs 31:10
Whoso finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the Lord. – Proverbs 18:22
Despite the mantras clearly stated in the Word of God; many women struggle to hold on to the fact that their rarity and wifely characteristics are something to be celebrated when they consistently meet men who do not see them as such.
Similarly, many upstanding men get the brush off from women because they are not the mean hardcore type. What are we to do in such instances? One of the first things that we can do is to expect it. We can expect the fact that not everyone will love us, nor honor us for who we are and that is okay because God has those that will.
We can conclude within ourselves that no matter what obstacles we face, we will keep going without modifying our standard given to us by God. We can leave up to God those who treat us wrongly knowing that he is the righteous judge and he will deal with them while we forgive. Jesus, the Christ who was tempted in all points yet without sin experienced similar devaluing of himself. Some people will never value who we are no matter how good we become. Let’s look at an account of Jesus being devalued in Matthew 11.
Jesus had done many miracles in the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum yet many in those towns did not believe in Jesus. Jesus began to correct the people of those towns saying that if he had done the miracles in other towns they would have believed. He shared that on the day of judgment, more mercy will be shown to those who did not see his many miracles and take him for granted as the other towns did.
Jesus was clearly taken for granted. How could they take Jesus for granted? He was the Son of God. He raised people from the dead and healed many that were sick. There were many who heard of the fame of Jesus and would have loved to have had him in their towns up close and personal during that period, but the above towns took Jesus for granted.
Jesus’ Response
He chucked the experience up for what it was, corrected the people and moved on. Where did Jesus move on to? He moved on to those who would value him. He is found just after this experience saying to anyone who will hear to come to him if they need rest.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30
I made bold the part about being meek and lowly in the heart because it is a natural temptation to allow life circumstances to allow us to become hardened. After being bluntly disrespected as Jesus was, he could have become hardened and closed himself off from all people. He could have become prideful and very selfish in saving his gifts for only himself, but he instead maintained his humility and invited others in who would value him and what he had to offer.
This is an excellent example of how we are to handle those who dishonor us. Instead of allowing it to cause us to become hardened, locking up who we are, or devaluing ourselves into a woman or man of a lower standard; We learn to move on like Jesus entrusting those who devalue us to the judgment of God.
In doing so, we will keep our hearts soft and pliable toward the Lord, and those that he has assigned to our lives who will value us for who we really are.
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